Death City
by wingedmercury
Summary: He's killed Naruto. He's killed the Five Kage. Now he is the supreme ruler of the ninja world, and destroying everything she holds dear. Can she bring herself to kill him—before he kills her? Dystopian Universe, SasuSaku
1. Chapter one: Death to Death City

So about two years ago, when we got to the epic Naruto and Sasuke fight in the manga, I had the idea for this story. But as I was in the middle of school, I had no time to write it.

Then, last week, the anime began the fight and I was reminded of this story. And I just had to answer the question, "What if Sasuke won?" I'm experimenting with a lot of new elements here, and I hope you will enjoy it.

Special thanks to my beta, **fanofthisfiction.** I don't know if I would have had the guts to publish this without her. :D

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 _Chapter 1: Revolution Day_

I'm staring out the window at the steel-gray sky, waiting for the rain that has been threatening for days, when a banging on the door makes me jump out of my seat. I knock over an end table and my cup shatters, splattering cold tea on the linoleum floor.

"Sakura Haruno?" barks a voice on the other side of the door.

I freeze. My heart lodges in my throat. Do they know? How could they? Everyone has been so careful…

Then I start at my own nonsensical thoughts, my eyes wide, my hands trembling. I'm not a part of the Konoha Underground. I have nothing to hide. Right?

The banging on the door continues, louder this time.

"Hold on!" I shout, rushing to the door. I gaze through the peephole and what I see makes my mouth go dry.

The two masked men outside have white circle insignias on their uniforms.

I stand stock still for a moment, the blood draining from my face. I could escape out the back, I think desperately. I could climb out the bathroom window, flee down the alleyway—

"Haruno Sakura, open the door," one of the guards booms.

I open the door. If I run now, these two will kill me before I even make it to the street. My eyes flit to their bone-white masks: one, a hawk, the other, a fox. _Naruto…_ My heart twists at the sight of the fox mask, on today of all days. I want to weep, but I do not. Not a twinge of unease shows on my face; I wear a mask, too.

"Leader-sama orders your presence," says the fox-masked nin, his monotone making me buzz with anxiety.

I bow my head, avoiding eye contact. The White Circle Guard are known by a different, whispered name: The Death Guard. They were the first reprogrammed shinobi Sasuke created. I ball my hands into fists as I realize this happened exactly three years ago today—on Revolution Day. They are failed experiments, according to Sasuke; he says men lose the edge of their abilities with the loss of their memories and emotions.

I shiver, though the day is hot and humid, stifling and reeking faintly of mold. The guards gesture to me sharply and I slink behind them down the steps of the apartment building.

Every unit we pass is the same: one small bedroom with a tiny hallway for a kitchen. White plaster walls, white linoleum floors. Fluorescent lights that flicker when you first turn them on. They could almost be nice apartments if it didn't feel like an institution. A prison. I never thought I would miss living with my parents. I bite my lip at the thought, shove down my rising emotion, and smooth my features. _Get it together, Haruno,_ I admonish myself.

On the street, we pass apartment buildings that are the perfect replicas of my own, tall white towers with one hundred units each, all identical, all silent. It's like walking through a giant catacomb.

The guards march down the street without looking back. I keep my eyes trained on their shoes. Their boots are the same as mine, standard issue, black as coal and stiff as wood. Even their black slacks and matching collared shirts are the same as my uniform.

But where they have a white circle on their shoulder and lapel, I have a red cross, marking me a medical nin. It's the only splash of color on my uniform. Even my hair has been dyed black according to standard regulations.

If Ino could see me, she'd tease me about how pale my black ensemble makes me. But I haven't seen Ino in a month. Or has it been two?

Every day is the same in the First Republic, one day bleeding into the other until it is hard to say when one ends and another begins. Surely it hasn't been three months since Ino went away? I glance up at the gray sky, wondering if Ino has made it underground without getting caught. I wish I knew…

The guards come to a halt, and I realize I've been lagging behind. I quicken my pace and they resume their methodical march, down past the residential quarter and into the industrial zone. Short, squat buildings with tiny windows like beady little eyes seem to watch us pass. I wrinkle my nose at the acrid smell, wondering if it is from weapon or chemical manufacture, when something catches my eye. I come to a standstill and gape.

Written on the second story of one of the warehouses, red scrawl in huge looping letters proclaims:

DEATH TO DEATH CITY!

The guards follow my gaze. I school my face in the appropriate, horrified expression which they note—I can see the gears turning in their heads—before they continue onwards.

I worry my lip with my teeth. The First Republic City. Death City. My heart aches for Konoha, now buried beneath my feet. That's the first thing Sasuke did when we returned: pulverized the village with one blink of his Rinnegan eye, then ordered us to build row upon row of buildings lined up in a grid, arranged like soldiers ordered by rank and file. And standing at the city's mechanical heart, the White Tower.

I lift my eyes to see the tower looming above the city, so tall, its pointed tip seems to pierce the clouds. The windows lining every side glint in the steely light like prying eyes.

I lower my gaze and fix my attention on the guard's shoes once more, my footsteps dragging me closer and closer to Sasuke.

 _Could he possibly know?_ I think. Then I shake my head, my brow furrowed. _Does he know what?_ I ask myself. I have done nothing wrong. If anything, I should be afraid for my friends, but I am not. My fear is all for myself. _He can't possibly know…_

I wipe my clammy palms on my pants and school my features back to a mask of calm. Even if he reads my memories, he won't find a single scrap of treachery—

Will he?

#

I'm always struck by his beauty, every time I see him. Even though his features are sharper now, sterner, and he is missing one of his arms. His eyes—well, I don't look into his eyes if I can help it. Still, to me he will always be beautiful.

I, Sakura Haruno, am a fool, a worthless, useless little fool. But I cannot help myself. The gods know I love him even now.

I kneel on one knee and offer a formal bow, bending straight at the waist until my torso is parallel to the floor. My hand forms a crisp salute to my forehead. "Leader-sama," I say, cursing my tremulous voice. _Sasuke-kun…_

"Leave us," he commands the guards, waving them away. I listen to the retreating footsteps echoing on the marble floor, hear the door snap shut. I remain frozen, still trapped in my formal bow, a bead of sweat falling from my forehead onto the floor.

"Rise," Sasuke orders.

"Thank you, Leader-sama," I reply automatically, getting to my feet.

He _tsks._ "Just Sasuke."

I nod and remain silent, my eyes tracing a vein of marble on a fluted column. It is never wise to initiate a conversation with Sasuke-kun. Still, unable to help myself, my eyes flicker to his face, then to the floor.

"There's been another assassination attempt on my life."

I gasp, my eyes wide as I lift my gaze. "Are you hurt, Sasuke?"

He chuckles, but the sound is hollow. I shiver. "Hatake Kakashi has been sent to Reform."

Reform, with a capital R. The internment camp in what was formerly known as the Village Hidden in the Sand, now called Second Republic City. I open my mouth, but no words come out. Not Kakashi. Anyone but him…

"I sent orders not to kill him," Sasuke says with an offhand wave. His boots do not make any sound as he stalks forward.

A tremor runs through me. I hold my breath. He reaches out and tilts up my chin, forcing me to meet those eyes. Those eyes, hard and black as volcanic rock, sharp enough to draw blood. There is a flash of red and a wave of dizziness washes over me. "And I won't kill him," he murmurs. "If I can expect good behavior."

Good behavior from me, it goes without saying. Another moment of vertigo as he searches my eyes, then a whimper escapes my throat. "Y-yes."

"Good." He releases me, his fingertips leaving my skin as cold as ice. He strides to a nearby chair and sprawls in it, like a cat that's done stalking a mouse. "I see you haven't made any progress with your experiments," he says. It is not a question.

Sweat beads my brow and runs down the back of my neck. I hate having my memories stolen from me, especially when a report would have sufficed. "No, Sasuke. I'm sorry. I've tried everything. If only…" I bite my tongue until I taste blood.

If only Tsunade hadn't been murdered. And even, if only Orochimaru hadn't been executed. Either of those geniuses could have figured out the intricacies of in vitro fertilization. As for me, I have been pushing around test tubes for months with nothing to show for it but a mountain of failure.

Sasuke settles back in his chair, his face an unreadable mask as always. A single bead of sweat rolls down my forehead and into my eye where it burns, but I don't move a muscle. My eyes are trained on his long, elegant fingers.

He doesn't clutch the arms of his chair; surely that's a good sign? Then he runs one finger along the arm, as if idly tracing the wood. He's considering. I swallow hard against the lump in my throat.

"Dammit, there's not enough time," he mutters to himself, his face dark. He turns to me. "We'll keep the Shinobi Genetic Program for the time being. Continue your work."

"Yes sir." I try not to sag with relief. I haven't outlived my usefulness. Yet.

After Orochimaru's experiment with clones—which turned out to be an army of mashed up human experiments, programmed with one goal: destroy Uchiha Sasuke—the sannin had been brutally executed, dismembered limb from limb, his head stuck on a pike in the city square to serve as a reminder for traitors. The Clone Program had been abandoned. Instead, the Shinobi Genetic Program was instituted, for the purpose of replenishing the depleted ranks.

So far I've been exempt from the program, though whether this is a sign of Sasuke's respect or a sign that my genetic stock doesn't count for much, I've never been able to ask. It's a "voluntary" program, except not really.

Those shinobi who decline an invitation are sent to the front lines if they are men, or to Reform if they are women. Given the low chance for escaping underground and surviving, most shinobi participate.

The allowances for contraband during the night of conception—sake and cigarettes mostly, though I've heard of stronger stuff being procured on the black market—do little to make up for the fact that if a child is produced, it enters the communal schools at the tender age of one, never to see its mother again.

Needless to say, the parents are forbidden from future meetings with each other and are given no information on the child. Then again, words like "mother," "father," "son," and "daughter" have been discarded. We are all equal citizens now. Equally alone, I think. But it's better to be alone than to deal with the Genetic Program. I think I'd slit my wrists too.

On my clinic days, sometimes I see these hollow-eyed women who are in the program. I prescribe antidepressants. Some of them commit suicide anyway. There is never a shortage of sharp objects laying around, after all. Even the White Circle Guard can't figure out how to prevent the deaths, having been engineered to create it instead.

The children are brought in to the clinic on occasion too, tender babes between the ages of one and three. Sasuke can't understand why the children are so thin, why they constantly cry and wet the bed. Some of the worst cases stare into the darkness without seeing, their eyes clouded over with a thick film.

They are like plants that grow without the benefit of light: pale, almost see-through creatures that stretch out to reach for the sunlight and, upon not finding any, curl up on themselves and molder.

I think humankind is doomed. We can't even manage procreation anymore. All we can do is create more death. One day soon that wave of darkness is going to surge up and take us all under. Maybe that's Sasuke's idea of peace and justice for all under the law, I think, my hands balling into fists. I hate him so much right now, I'm shaking with it.

"Sakura?" he asks, his voice like a knife through my thoughts.

"Do you require healing tonight?" I practically bite off the words. I watch his hand: the fingers drum against the wood in a single cascade. He's studying me closely now. I take a deep breath and try to tamp down my surge of emotions.

"Please," he says at last.

The word "please" startles me—I'm used to orders, not polite requests from Sasuke. I realize a few tears have escaped my eyes. They feel hot and sticky where they cling to my cheeks.

"You're upset about Kakashi," he says.

I nod. No sense in lying. I pull out a handkerchief and, with all the impassivity I can muster, I blot my face. It's not just Kakashi, of course. It's everything. It's everyone.

It's Ino, who has been gone for months and I don't know if she's alive or dead. It's Choji and Shikamaru, who left years ago to go underground. It's my own parents, dead along with the majority of the civilian population of Konoha, their bones crushed in the rubble. It's Tsunade who was slain while still in a human pod ensconced in Infinite Tsukuyomi, as helpless as a babe. And today, it's Kakashi.

I wonder: Will Kakashi survive Reform? Not everyone does. And if he does come back alive, will his eyes be as vacant as those of the White Circle Guard?

A lump rises in my throat as the person I miss the most of all comes to mind, even as I struggle to shove the memory away. Today of all days, I cannot chase away his ghost: Naruto. Three years ago today, Sasuke murdered him.

 _I couldn't save you,_ I think, unable to dispel his image in my mind: his messy blond hair, his idiot grin.

Sasuke clasps my shoulder and I start, freezing like a rabbit caught in a wolf's jaws. "Forgive me," I whisper. Now my face is slick with tears, my kerchief soaked through.

Wordlessly, he withdraws his hand. A moment later, he offers one of his own handkerchiefs, the twin to my own standard-issue square of white linen.

Not knowing what else to do, I take it in shaking hands. I try to blot my face but it's difficult because my hands won't stop trembling.

Sasuke tilts my chin up. He's gentle, but the contact makes me freeze, every muscle knotting with fear. He captures my eyes and the breath leaves my lungs all at once. His black eyes glint blood red with the Sharingan.

"You're thinking of him," he says.

I take a step back, struggling to find breath. I know he doesn't mean Kakashi. "Forgive me," I say in a ragged whisper. "I know it's restricted. But my thoughts…"

He squeezes my shoulder again and I wince from the unexpected contact. "It's restricted to speak of him," Sasuke says, returning to his chair. "Not to think of him. I don't own your thoughts."

 _Don't you?_ I want to ask. I bite my lip and smother the words. With a shuddering breath, I still my tears through sheer force of will, a thin veneer of calm settling over my features once more. I wipe my face, pocket the sopping kerchiefs, and crack my knuckles.

"It's all right if you're not up to healing today," he says. "It is a holiday."

Inside, a dry, humorless laughter bubbles up inside of me. Revolution Day. It's less of a holiday and more like an unending funeral.

My eyes flicker to his hands, then travel to his face, but his expression reveals nothing. "I'm already here," I say, my voice flat. As I've done every day for such a long time I no longer know when we started, I stand before him. I place my hands alongside his temples, my fingers trailing in his black hair. It feels like the finest silk. I want to twist the strands around my fingers but I do not. I close my eyes and delve into his chakra network.

"You have a headache," I say, a hint of reproval in my voice. "You've been overusing your doujutsu again." My eyes flicker open long enough to catch the ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

His eyes are closed and he makes no effort now of hiding the pain and fatigue. It makes my heart ache for him. And at the same time, my fingers tighten imperceptibly around his scalp. I could kill him. I should kill him. I could do it too. With my bare hands.

Instead, healing chakra pulses out from my fingertips, soothing his raw network of ocular nerves.

"Sometimes," he says, so softly, I wonder if he is talking to himself, "I wish he had won."

The only thing that betrays my startlement is the wideness of my eyes. I stare at him for a long time. Then I bow my head and let my hot tears fall.

I keep my concentration on his chakra network, on the healing, until his nerves are restored. I pull away quickly when I finish. My tears have fallen on his face; he doesn't seem to notice.

A flash of memory hits me then like a grenade: Sasuke laying pale and bloodied on the rocky battleground, the ruined stump of his arm profusely bleeding. Naruto is nowhere to be found. Instead, a pulpy mess of blood and mangled bones soaks into the earth. Nothing is recognizable except for a few blonde hairs scattering on the wind.

 _I should have let him die,_ comes the thought. _I should have killed him myself._

But I could not have let Sasuke-kun die. If I hadn't healed him, the Infinite Tsukuyomi would never have ended. And I wanted to heal him! I loved him! I love him still.

That's why I heal him now. Even though he has taken everything dear from me. He's also the last dear thing left to me.

A breath shudders through me and I come back to the present. He's studying me again, and those eyes see right through me. I curse my unguarded moment and turn away from him, wiping my face with my sleeve. Without another word—without his dismissal—I leave.

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 _Thank you for reading. Please review:)_


	2. Chapter Two: Eat Death, Death City

_Welcome back! This chapter ends on a happy note, hope you enjoy:)_

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 _Chapter Two: Eat Death, Death City_

I awake out of a fog of dreams to the sound of Naruto's voice calling me:

 _Sakura-chan!_

But when I open my eyes there is no one there, nothing but the sound of my own uneven breathing. I scan my room anyway, half expecting to find him, my fingers twisting the sheets.

On my bedside table is the photograph of all of us as Team Seven: a young Naruto grins at me, full of life and vitality and stupid optimism. This picture is the only place where Naruto lives now. My eyes squeeze shut and I swallow back the lump in my throat.

#

That evening as I make my way to the tower I feel, rather than see, the White Circle Guard monitoring me from the shadows. But I'm used to being followed, to the ways my muscles knot with tension.

As I walk, the wind gusts down the street, whipping my hair back. No trash whirls down the alleyways, and not even a single dead leaf blows at my feet. I feel the absence of these things, just as the quiet resounds with the lack of sound.

Then a sign groans as it swings on a metal chain and I jump, heart pounding. It's nothing, I tell myself, hand clasped to my mouth to stifle my scream. I peer up at the sign: it is for the rations supply, open by appointment only. The storefront is shuttered by a metal grate and on it, scribbled in red marker, is graffitied:

EAT DEATH, DEATH CITY!

I turn away and hurry down the street, my own footfalls sounding unnaturally loud in my ears. I look up at the iron sky still withholding rain, and my footsteps slow, then stop.

My heart is still hammering in my chest and I can feel the memories coming on, swarming me like a hive of disturbed bees. Unable to move, I remember the day when Death City had been born.

It replays in my head as if it is happening now, a dream from which I cannot wake:

"Please Sasuke-kun," I plead. He stands overlooking the battlefield with inhuman eyes, not bothering to look at me. I try again. "Please end the Infinite Tsukuyomi."

Sasuke makes no sign he's heard me. "This one's strong," he says, striding up to one of the human pods hanging from a tendril of the God Tree. It quivers as if sensing him.

"Sasuke-kun, you should free them all," Kakashi admonishes. He leans heavily on my shoulder, his face an ashen gray. "Now."

Sasuke casts one emotionless glance over his shoulder and Kakashi sags, going limp as a corpse. I grab him before he tumbles to the ground.

"Sasuke!" I cry out, holding sensei in my trembling arms.

"Quiet, or you'll receive the same," he says, still not looking at me.

As I lay Kakashi on the ground, Sasuke turns to regard the human cocoon shivering on the vine. At Sasuke's gesture, the pod unravels and vomits out a shinobi. The man opens his eyes with a strangled cry, then knees before Sasuke, his eyes enraptured. Genjutsu. I shove my fist into my mouth and try not to sick up.

"You'll be the first of my soldiers," Sasuke says, his voice emotionless. "Your first order is to kill the Five Kage."

"Sasuke!" I cry out again, unable to help myself. I meet his eyes, one red as blood, the other purple like a bruise, and I am cast down into a dark dreamless sleep. No unending murder here at Sasuke's hand, not like his first Genjutsu when he and Naruto had left to fight one another. Just darkness. Emptiness.

When I wake, the gibbous moon has risen over the dark valley. I have no idea how much time has passed.

It is Kakashi, his face stricken, his eyes without any light, who breaks the silence. "He made them into machines," he breathes.

I look out over the vines, still heavy with human fruit. "Who?" I ask, but the question answers itself as a troop of nin come marching over the hill.

As they come nearer, I see a face I recognize from the Allied Shinobi Forces. I chance a tentative wave. His blank eyes stare straight ahead, his expressionless face making me shiver as the regiment comes to a halt a few paces away.

"I don't understand," I whisper as Kakashi helps me to my feet.

I shake my head in an effort to banish the memory, blinking furiously, trying to return to the present. I am still looking up into the sky, standing frozen in the middle of the street. The White Tower looms overhead, its shadow falling across my face. But the ghosts of memory won't leave me.

I let my tears fall, not caring what spies or guards are watching. I cannot stop the memories:

Finding my parents.

Touching their cold skin.

Closing their lifeless eyes.

I was days too late to save them. Sasuke had taken his time culling his soldiers from the God Tree. It was a full two weeks before he dispelled the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Most of the civilian population, too weak in chakra, had been fully absorbed by then.

Upon returning to Konoha, we were not allowed to clear out the bodies for burial. Sasuke buried them himself underneath the ruins of the village and built his city on top of their graves.

Death City.

 _Why can't I kill him?_ I curse myself, forcing my leaden feet to finish their journey to the White Tower.

#

"You look ill," Sasuke says from his high-backed chair as I enter the room. I'm about to kneel and offer the required salute but, as there are no guards in the room, he waves for me to remain standing.

I offer no reply. I fix my gaze on his sandaled feet.

The silence draws out between us.

"Heal me," he orders.

I nod, my face a cold mask. I shove down the urge to wrap my fingers around his throat and squeeze. Instead, my fingertips find his temples, his silken hair brushing my skin.

I concentrate on his chakra and frown. He's worse today. "How are you feeling?" I ask, even though I know the answer.

He grunts. After a moment, he says, "The headache is worse."

It's no wonder why. What should be energy flowing along silvery meridians feels more like jagged streaks of lightning. It's frustrating. My healings should have fixed this imbalance long ago, but it's only gotten worse.

"The Bijuu?" I ask, in as steady a tone as I can muster.

He grips the side of his chair. Not a good sign. "The Bijuu are under control," he snaps, eyes flickering red.

I close my eyes and delve further and find the truth for myself. Sasuke had taken a piece of all the Bijuu's power before he had hidden them away. Usually, the Tailed Beasts' power is like a dense ball of energy locked away in his solar plexus. Today, that sphere of power is fissuring, spidering cracks coursing along its shell and sending disruptions throughout his network.

"I see," is all I say. I do my best to smooth his chakra but I know it won't accomplish much. Even his ocular network remains red and raw, though I try with all my skill to lessen it.

 _Sakura-chan!_

I hear a voice, so faint, I'm certain I'm imagining it. Then it comes again, louder, insistent: _Sakura-chaaaaan!_

I freeze. … _Naruto-kun?_ I ask silently, instinctively.

For a long moment there is nothing. I'm about to berate myself for being a fool when I hear the voice again:

 _Thank Kami._

Then Sasuke's network spikes and I'm zapped like I've just stuck my fingers in an electrical socket. I jump back with a yelp, holding my stinging hands, eyes wide. Sasuke eyes me darkly. I freeze.

"It's not something you can fix," he says. It is not a question.

"N-no," I stammer. I lift my gaze and my eyes lock with his. What has just happened? Why did I just hallucinate Naruto's voice? I search Sasuke's eyes for an answer and find none.

He looks away first, striding to a nearby window. Outside night has fallen in a thick curtain and clouds obscure the moon and stars. Below, the city is dark, not one lantern lit. Another reminder of the unending war, the rations, and the scarcity of lantern oil.

 _Naruto…?_ I think, incredulous. There is no response. A tremor runs through my body. What is wrong with me?

"I need rest," Sasuke mutters under his breath, still looking out the window. "But most of all, I need an heir. There's no time, dammit!" He punches the wall, rattling the window pane. I wonder if the window will break, but it does not. "Sakura?"

My heart shutters and, like the glass, I wonder if it will shatter. "…Sasuke?"

He turns to me, his face as cold and distant as the stars masked by clouds. "I'm not immortal. I need someone to continue my work. Maintain my peace."

I lick my lips and say nothing, trying my best to mask my expression. He can't be asking what I think he is.

"In the morning," he says, "you will bring me Hyuga Hinata." He turns back to the window, resting his hand on the glass. "You are dismissed."

I stand stock still, unable to move.

"…Hinata?" I ask at last. "But why?"

The reflection of his eyes in the window meet mine. At that moment, I burn hot as fire and freeze like ice at the same time.

"Hinata?" I echo, my hands trembling as they ball into fists. There could be no greater insult. Not to myself or to Hinata. I shake with anger, and my vision swims with red as if I possessed the Sharingan. I wish he would drop dead from my glare. "Why?" I demand.

"You have no clan," Sasuke replies with irritating calm. "No doujutsu. Don't let your petty feelings get in the way."

"What about Hinata's feelings?" I explode, tears of frustration coursing down my cheeks. "You know she loves—"

I stop but the name rings in the silence: _Naruto._

This time he turns towards me slowly, his face flushed. "I don't need to explain myself to you," he seethes, biting off each word. "But I will because I wish to make myself clear. I need a powerful heir. I also need an excuse not to execute the leader of the Hyuga clan for conspiring to kill me this morning."

"Hiashi?" I mouth, reeling.

Sasuke shakes his head. "No," he says with obvious distaste. "Hinata."

I blink. That's right. Hiashi had been executed years ago.

"We've come to an understanding," Sasuke says.

I just stand there, stupefied. "But I love you," I blurt out.

He glares at me for such a long time, I wonder if he will kill me where I stand.

"Stop being such an annoyance," he snaps into the silence, his eyes glittering.

My whole body suddenly goes cold, like being plunged into icy water. "What do I mean to you?" I whisper. "Why do you even keep me by your side?"

He bares his teeth in a smile, but it does not reach his eyes. "You are the only person I can trust not to assassinate me." His smile deepens and his eyes glint a bloody red. "Do you hate me yet, Haruno Sakura?"

I shiver, chilled to my bones. "Yes," I answer, my voice full of unshed tears. "I do."

The silence stretches out between us. I study the floor.

"To think, this is what it took," he says, his icy smile slipping into a scowl. "You are dismissed."

He turns his back to me.

I know he is unwell. I could strike him down. I could kill him right now.

But I don't. I scuttle to the door and flee, too numb for tears.

#

There are more guards trailing me than usual on my way home. I do not know what this portends.

Somehow, I drag myself back to my apartment and fall into my bed without bothering to remove my clothes. I'm asleep before I hit the pillow.

" _Sakura-chan!"_ calls that bright, familiar voice.

"Naruto-kun?" I answer. Everything is so dark. I can't see a thing. Where am I?

Before I can orient myself, I'm wrapped in a hug so fierce the breath is knocked out of me. "I've been trying so hard to reach you, dattebayo! How long has it been since I died?"

I pull back from his embrace and stare at him. "I'm dreaming," I say faintly. Either that or I'm going mad.

Naruto shakes his head, sending his unruly blond locks tumbling over his face. That dear face, that rakish smile. Those piercing sky blue eyes. Dream or no, I collapse into his arms and weep.

"It's not exactly a dream," he says when I calm down. He smooths my hair, then pats my tears away with rough fingers. "I'm here! Kinda. That bastard Sasuke absorbed my chakra when I died, so he could take the tailed beast chakra." He growls low in his throat. "But I hid a part of myself inside of Sasuke. I've been trying to break through for ages! Tell me I didn't take too long?" His worried eyes search mine.

I don't want to tell him the truth, but it tumbles out of my lips. "It's been three years," I whisper. I cannot list all the dead. Those imprisoned in Reform. Everyone who went underground or are missing in action. There are too many names to count. I bite my lip to keep from crying.

"We'll make a plan," he says, and though his voice shakes, his face is grim but determined. Then he brightens. "Did you know Ino talks to you like, once a week? She should be here any minute." He waggles his eyebrows at me. "It'll be like a party in here!"

"Ino?" I just stare at him. As if a ghost in my mind weren't bad enough. "I haven't seen Ino in…"

"I dug around," he explains with an innocent shrug. "We'll let the whole Konoha Underground know." He punches his fist into his open hand. "Uzumaki Naruto is back! Or at least, sort of…"

 _Sakura-chan? Sakura-chaaan!_ chimes a voice. It sounds familiar, but it's not Naruto, and it seems to be coming from far away.

I stare blankly at Naruto. Where is that other voice coming from?

"Don't worry," Naruto says with a wink. "I'll be here." And with that, he reaches for my shoulders and shoves me backwards—

I wake with a start, sitting straight up in bed.

"Finally," Ino says. She's perched on the foot of my bed, swinging her long legs off the side. "Kami, you're a deep sleeper."

"Ino?" I ask in a high pitched squeal. Gods, I really am losing it. "Naruto said you'd be here…"

Now it's Ino's turn to favor me with a wide-eyed stare. "You've never said that before." She bites her lip. "Maybe I should ease up on rearranging your memories…"

I want to throw my arms around my best friend but I just sit, frozen like a statue. "What the hell is going on?" I breathe. I realize I'm shivering. My teeth are chattering and I can't make them stop.

"Oh Sakura-chan," Ino says, scooting closer to wrap her arms around me. "I told you this mission was too much for you."

"Mission?" I ask, my voice still squeaky.

Ino sighs, her breath brushing my cheek. "No point in telling you. I'll just have to make you forget it again." She studies me for a moment, biting her lip. I can tell she is close to tears. "It's enough for you to know I'm with the Konoha Underground. And so are you."

"Oh," I reply dumbly, relief flooding my body. Guilt falls away like a heavy weight until I feel so light, I might float away like a feather on the breeze.

"…Ino?" I say, inhaling a ragged breath, feeling feverish and giddy. "There's something I need to tell you. It's about Naruto."

* * *

 _Thank you for reading! Reviews are tasty and go well with cookies, so please review:)_


	3. Chapter Three: Death City is Dead

Huge thanks to my beta, **fanofthisfiction** , who is an encourager bar none:) Thanks also for your kind reviews and PM's. I appreciate all you people out there in the cyber webs!

* * *

 _Chapter Three: Death City is Dead_

I wake up groggy and feeling hungover. I wipe my damp face with my sleeve and taste salt on my lips.

I change into a fresh uniform and brew the last of my tea, even though I'm not due for my ration replenishment for another week. The remnants of dreams cling to me like cobwebs, but I can only piece together fragments—something about Naruto and Ino telling me to have hope. Gods I miss them.

Already, it's late, and I gulp my tea even though it burns the roof of my mouth before exiting my apartment. As I enter the hallway, a neighbor is about to open her door, but when she sees me, she slams it shut. I wonder who it is, but I don't dare to linger. White Circle Guards could be lurking at any corner.

Loneliness gnaws my insides as I hurry along the deserted streets. I wind my way one block south to an apartment building identical to my own, save for the Hyuga crest on the front door. Seeing the clan symbol is heartening because it is one thing Sasuke hasn't destroyed. Not yet, anyway.

Two Hyuga guards meet me at the door with deep bows. I'm so grateful to see people who aren't White Circle Guards I could weep, but I mask my expression carefully.

"We've been expecting you, Haruno-san."

"I'm sorry," I blurt out. I redden at my outburst, but they only nod without comment and lead me inside.

It's three flights up to Hinata's room, the twin of my own tiny apartment. Except Hinata has fine ink paintings adorning her walls, and an antique table set with a porcelain teapot, steam billowing out of its fluted spout sculpted to look like a fish's mouth.

Hinata lets me inside without a word, her face a study in calm reserve. She thanks the guards and closes the door.

As soon as we are alone, her mask cracks, sadness twisting her delicate features. Her hands flash in a series of signs, then she sags against me like a dead weight. Uncertain what to do, I wrap my arm around her so she doesn't fall to the floor.

"We can talk freely," she says, her voice ragged. "We should be safe with these wards."

I help her to a low-backed chair and shake my head. "Don't tell me anything, Hinata-chan. Sasuke scans my memories."

"Ah." Hinata bows her head. "I see."

Not knowing what else to do, I begin pouring tea.

"He has my sister," Hinata says at last. "He's sent her to Reform."

My heart constricts and hot water splashes over my shaky hands. I want to say something to comfort her, but I have no comfort to offer. Instead, I give her the teacup, then pour for myself and take a sip. It's exquisite tea, much finer than what I receive in my rations. It's a shame it tastes like dust in my mouth.

I squeeze my eyes shut. My teacup shakes, sloshing liquid over the sides. "You don't have to do this."

She doesn't answer.

After a long silence, I ask, "Did you really try to kill him?"

Hinata regards me with those big, sorrowful eyes. She wraps her fingers around her teacup as if to warm them and sighs.

"I never wanted to be head of the Hyuga," she says. "All I really wanted was to be a housewife." She chuckles, though her laughter holds no mirth. "I suppose I'll get my wish."

Tears blur my vision. "If Naruto were here, he would tell you not to give up!" I gulp in a breath, then set my cup down on the table before I spill my tea. Unable to stop myself, more words tumble from my lips. "He loved you, Hinata. He just never had a chance to tell you."

Hinata drops her cup on the floor with a crash, splinters of fine porcelain scattering everywhere, tea splashing the rug and staining it a darker blue.

"Th-thank you," Hinata says through her tears, covering her face with her hands. I wish I hadn't said anything. But I don't even know where the words had come from. Just for something to do, I pick up my cup and stare into my tea, tears rippling my reflection.

It takes Hinata a long time to recover herself. I remain sitting on the floor, gazing into my tea and wishing I could drown myself in it. At last, I say, "If you plan to assassinate him again, I would help you." Let Sasuke hear that, I think, anger smoldering inside of me.

Hinata hiccups. "He has my sister, Sakura-chan. Sasuke and I have come to an…agreement." She licks her lips. "Though I wish I…" She meets my eyes and says nothing more.

I scrub away my tears with the heel of my hand. "I'm so sorry, Hinata-chan."

"I know." Hinata hiccups again. "Me too."

#

Sasuke does not require my presence that night, occupied as he is with Hinata. So instead of giving him healing, I curl up on my bed, hugging my knees to my chest and hating him with every fiber of my being.

I cry myself to sleep, and I fall into that same dream again, the one where I pretend Naruto is inside of my head. We're standing in a vast darkness, a dim light shining just above our heads.

"We've got a plan," Naruto tells me with a grin.

"We do?" I ask, knowing that I am dreaming, or going crazy, or both.

His grin widens. "We're going to take away Sasuke's power."

"Take away his power?" I echo. Now I know I'm going crazy. "How the hell are we supposed to do that? I'm not strong enough. And you're dead!" My cheeks flush with heat. "No offense."

"None taken," he says with a shrug. "I sent some of my chakra with Ino. She's going to take it back to Shikamaru and come up with a plan. In the meantime, you've got to siphon off more of my chakra from Sasuke." He winks. "You know. While you're 'healing' him." For some reason, Naruto puts air quotes around the word healing. I don't understand what he's talking about, but I go along with it.

"And then what?" Unable to help myself, I reach out to ruffle his hair. I wish this dream would never end.

"And then you'll kick his ass!" Naruto captures me in a hug. "Duh!"

I hug him back and laugh so hard that when I wake in the morning, my sides hurt, though I can't remember my dream.

#

It's a clinic day. I used to love working in the hospital. It is my only real time for human contact besides my sessions with Sasuke—if you can even call that human contact.

"You're depressed," I tell the patient.

"Depressed?" echoes the shinobi. "Of course I'm depressed! That asshole—" He sucks in a breath, his eyes going wide with terror. "I mean, my wife and kids were sacrificed for the noble revolution and birth of the Republic," he mumbles, his eyes darting from side to side. When no guards barge in, he exhales sharply.

"I can give you drugs," I offer, chewing on a pen.

"Drugs won't bring my family back." He grips his chair in white-knuckled hands.

"No. They won't." I sigh. I hate this. I can't help these people. All I can do is prescribe them drugs that make them as numb as the White Circle Guards.

At the end of a long day, Hinata enters my office. I smile, though I fear it is as strained as the one she offers me.

"I need to know if I'm pregnant," she says without preamble.

I blink up at her. "It can take a few weeks to know for sure," I say in my best confident doctor tone, though I feel sick to my stomach.

"He won't return my sister until I know for sure." Her dead eyes meet mine. Gods, but Hinata looks awful. Her cheeks are hollow, and her eyes are red.

"I'll talk to him," I say, the words thick in my mouth. "I can give you herbs to help, in the meantime."

"If the herbs will help bring back my sister," she says, her voice as dead as her eyes.

That night, I'm even more tight-lipped with Sasuke than usual. He doesn't comment. When it's time for me to place my hands on his temples, I hesitate for a fraction of a second. Again, no comment. Let him assume what he will, I think, and I begin the treatment, all the while siphoning out Naruto's chakra. Just tiny threads of it, not enough for Sasuke to notice.

"You've been dreaming about Naruto," Sasuke says, his eyes closed.

I don't let my panic show. "You once told me that my thoughts were my own," I retort, trying to sound as flippant as possible.

"I've been dreaming about him too," Sasuke says, and he sounds tired.

There's a long pause while that information sinks in. I squirm and adjust my hold on Sasuke's temples. It's hard to manage this delicate healing work while stealing chakra at the same time, let alone trying to juggle this strange conversation. "Do you…want to talk about it?"

Sasuke is quiet for a long time, but because I'm plugged into his energy network, I can almost feel the waves of brooding coming off of him. I soothe his overworked neural pathways with one hand and draw out the faintest threads of Naruto's chakra with the other, funneling the energy into myself.

"Sasuke-kun?" When he doesn't say anything, I press on. "May I ask you something? A favor?" He hates it when I use any honorifics with his name, especially diminutive ones, but he doesn't protest. When he gives the slightest of nods, I inhale sharply. "Return Hanabi-chan to her sister. Please."

"Familial networks are outmoded," he says automatically as if he is reading out of the Republic's Handbook. "Titles like sister and brother have been abolished. We are all equal citizens of the Republic."

I sigh, letting the chakra fade from my hands. I feel buzzed, instead of my usual depletion after a healing session, and I wonder why, feeling like I'm forgetting something… Something that has to do with Naruto somehow, but I push the thought aside. This request is important. I promised Hinata.

"We're human, Sasuke. With feelings. I know," I say as he opens his mouth to protest. "Please, Sasuke-kun. Hanabi is only a child."

He stares at me for a long time. I avoid his gaze, but it still feels like he's looking right through me.

"We'll see," is all he says. "You are dismissed."

I turn to leave, but I pause in the doorway. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun." I exit before he can say another word.

#

I'm having such a strange dream. Ino and Naruto are having an argument inside of my head.

"I don't want to kill him," Naruto says, pouting. "He's like my brother—"

"Your psycho killer brother who beat you to death before murdering half the world," Ino interjects, her blue eyes shooting daggers at Naruto.

Naruto looks stronger now, less transparent, for lack of a better word. It's nice to have him here, even if he's only a figment of my imagination.

"Guys," I say, and two sets of blue eyes turn to me. "I don't think I could kill him anyway."

"You might have to, Forehead!" Ino barks, and despite her tone and her insinuation, her use of my old nickname makes me smile. Gods, I miss her. Is that why I'm always dreaming about her?

"There's got to be another way," Naruto insists, running his hands through his tousled hair. "Come on, can't Shikamaru think of another plan?"

"As you bloody well know, Shikamaru thought of two-hundred and fifty-six scenarios where we don't kill Sasuke, and they all have the potential of ending very, very badly. As in apocalyptic kinds of badly. I'm sorry Naruto, but we've got to assassinate him. Then you two can reincarnate and work out your dysfunctional relationship in another lifetime when the stakes aren't the wellbeing of what is left of Earth's population! Which, because of Sasuke-no-psychopath, has been reduced by almost two-thirds!" Ino gasps at the end of her speech, running out of breath at last.

"I won't outlive him," I whisper into the hush. "We'll die together."

Ino snorts. "Don't be so macabre," she mutters.

"Sakura?" Naruto takes my hands. "This is my fault. I never could keep my promise to you…"

Fat tears roll down my cheeks.

"I'm out of time," Ino says, rubbing her temples. For a hallucination, she looks exhausted. "Forehead, Ghost, I'll be back in a week. We should have our forces mobilized by then for an attack. Take care of your missions until then."

I hug Ino tightly, wishing I didn't have to let her go. "I'll do what I can," I whisper, my voice hoarse with tears.

"I know, Sakura-chan." She returns my hug, plants a kiss on my forehead, and then she is gone in the blink of an eye. The darkness swallows me, and I fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.

In the morning, I feel like I haven't slept at all. And I have the strangest feeling I've just seen Ino and Naruto, which is impossible since Ino is missing in action and Naruto…

Naruto is dead. Isn't he?

Still, I can't stop smiling, even though my head aches and a yawn cracks my jaw. Maybe it's just because it's rations day at long last.

#

I enter the line at the time allotted by my rations card. I don't know the other people waiting with me, which is done on purpose. Two look like civilians. One has an alligator mask and a white circle badge on his shoulder. The fourth person is a younger woman whom I recognize as a shinobi originally from the Sand, though I never knew her name. We avoid eye contact.

When it is my turn, I'm given a month's supply of standard issue canned food, a tin of tea leaves, a loaf of bread. "Thank you," I say to the man who hands me my food. I smile. He turns away quickly, his face studiously blank.

My good mood soured by the encounter, I trudge back to my apartment and throw open the door. It's so sterile in here, I think. I want to hang up a tapestry, buy some flowers, anything! But not only are those things impossible to come by, they are not within regulations. Everyone is equal. Equally impoverished, I think.

"I'm sick of this," I cry out, my vehemence surprising me.

One week, I remind myself. Just one week. Then I start at my own thought: one week until _what?_

I shake my head. "It's nothing," I mutter. "Just something from a dream. Nonsense."

I tidy up my uniform, comb my hair, and ready myself for another day at the clinic.

#

"Congratulations," I force out despite the lump in my throat. "You're pregnant."

Hinata sags back in her chair, mopping her brow with a handkerchief.

I raise an eyebrow at her obvious relief. "Didn't Sasuke return your sister?"

Hinata nods. "But she would have been sent back if I failed," she says, and I curse lowly under my breath. If Sasuke were in the room, I would have thrown something at him. "But it's more than that. With this," she says, hands encircling her belly, "the Hyuga will continue to enjoy their autonomy. What's left of it, anyway," she adds with a sigh.

"That's something, at least. Most of the other clans have been disbanded." I don't add that most of those clans have left Konoha or died trying. Sasuke could not have alienated the Hyuga any more and expected to maintain stability in the Republic.

Hinata nods absently, scooting off the examination table and smoothing down her paper gown.

Without knowing why, I tell her, "Women and children, code OX2—Death City is dead." Hinata blinks at me, and I shake my head, drawing a hand up to my forehead. Where had that come from? "It's just something weird I saw on the way to work," I say, giggling to hide my disquiet. "Have you noticed there's been more graffiti lately?"

Hinata is staring at me, her pupiless eyes wide. "Sakura? What color are your eyes?"

Now it's my turn to stare at her. "My eyes? They're green. They've always been green." I force a laugh. "Why?"

"They were blue. When you said the code, your eyes were sky blue. Just like the other day, when you t-told me…about N-naruto."

I laugh, shrugging the whole thing off. "If you say so, Hinata-chan."

Without warning, Hinata throws her arms around me and squeezes hard. "I'll do as you say," she whispers. "Be safe, Sakura-chan."

Not knowing what else to do, I return her embrace. I wonder if I will ever see her again.

* * *

 _Thank you for reading! Please review:)_


	4. Bloom, Death City, and Live Again

It's the climax of the story—will Sakura and the Underground topple Sasuke's evil regime? Or will the shinobi world be cast forever into darkness (whahaha)? Find out in this week's update! Cue the dramatic theme music, please.

On a personal note, this week sucked. Today was the shit icing on the shit cake that was my super shitty week. The news was terrible. I got into an awful fight with my husband. And the drama at work, gah, don't get me started. But through it all, I got to look forward to publishing this chapter (whew!).

Special thanks to **Fanofthisfiction** who helped me beta and offered encouragement :). This chapter was extremely complicated to write. So thank you for your patience, and enjoy!

* * *

 _Chapter Four: Bloom, Death City, and Live Again_

Three days later, I find myself in the White Tower again, my slightly trembling hands funneling chakra into Sasuke's ocular nerves.

"I never did congratulate you," I say, choosing my words with care. "On becoming a father, I mean." My fingers tighten imperceptibly on his scalp.

His eyes flicker to study my face. "Do you hate me, Sakura?"

The question is like a sucker punch to my gut, but my face is a mask of calm. I do not pause in my ministrations. If I can distract him, I can pull out more of Naruto's chakra. Gods, I only need a little bit more until…

Until what, I wonder? The stray thought is like a fish surfacing in a still pond, seen only in a flash of gold before disappearing down into darkness again. I chide myself; now is no time to let my mind wander, not while Sasuke is studying me so intently.

I shake my head to clear it. "Sasuke, I could have never hated you," I say, voice studiously smooth and even. He quirks an eyebrow but does not challenge me. I stare at my hands and avoid his gaze. "Will you be happy, now that you have an heir?" I ask, concentrating on my delicate healing work.

He chuckles dryly. "It's only a few weeks old and still in the womb. And happiness has nothing to do with it."

"But are you happy?" I ask. I'm surprised at the regret in my own words. Sasuke growls low in his throat, a clear cue that this conversation is over. I fall silent. We could have been happy, I think, fighting back the sadness. I could have made him happy—if he had let me.

After a while I say, "I'm happy for you. For what it's worth." It's true. I know reviving his clan has always been Sasuke's goal; yet, that small flicker of happiness is like a knife in my heart. I blink, holding back tears and hoping he does not notice, even though I know he will. There are other emotions too: anxiety, dread, and the cold knowledge that he will not live to see his firstborn child.

He digests what I've said for a moment. "Thank you." His voice is flat, but not unkind.

"Do you have a name picked out?" I say, sweat beading my brow. Almost finished…

"Sarada for a girl, Oribuoiru for a boy. The oil that will burn brightly for the future of the Republic."

We lapse into silence again, and I curse myself. I'm taking too long. He's bound to notice what I'm doing.

"Sasuke-kun, can I ask you a…personal question?" I ask, desperately trying to distract him. He gives the barest of nods, and I continue. "You said once that you regretted killing him. Killing Naruto." I gulp. When he doesn't silence me, I ask, "Why?"

The question throws him into deep thought. I siphon off more chakra.

"Because he would have been a useful tool. Just as you are."

I cannot stop a sharp intake of breath. It's an effort to contain my anger. For a long, terrible moment, I tremble, my facade of calm cracking. One breath. Another breath. I exhale slowly, a long, thin hiss of air.

At last, I reply, "But he would have been too hard to control. Is that why you killed him?"

"Hn." His face is an implacable wall of ice.

"I suppose," I say, keeping all inflection out of my voice, "that without bonds, you could continue to rule without compromise." Bile burns the back of my throat. So, I really meant nothing to him after all…

"No," Sasuke says, closing his eyes. "It was so I could bear all the hatred of the world. Because I have no bonds."

"Then why let me live?" My voice resounds in the vaulted room. "What am I to you?" Almost enough chakra…

His eyes snap open. In one fluid motion, he flicks a kunai out of his sleeve and stabs me through the heart.

I grunt, feeling the knife slice through my chest and come out through my back. Shuddering convulsively, I meet his enraged stare. Though pain sears me and my eyes burn, I smile in triumph, a feral baring of teeth. He's caught on too late. My clone winks out in a puff of smoke, carrying the chakra I need to my true body.

On the outskirts of the city, I feel the rush of chakra hit me just as the alarm bells toll in the distance. An icy wind blows back my hair, and I suck in a breath as my clone's experiences and energy hit me all at once.

 _Ready?_ comes Naruto's voice in my mind as I am bathed in golden chakra.

"Let's free the Bijuu!" I roar, leading the charge. Beside me, Ino and Choji grin. I infuse my fist with chakra and slam it into the earth, breaking open the prison.

#

 _One Hour Earlier:_

Ino is sitting at the foot of my bed, looking as smug as a cat who has eaten a pet canary. Her long blonde hair is braided and coiled around her head like a golden crown. She plays with a black cap in her hands, twirling it idly, her body clad in skin-tight black. She is shaking with suppressed laughter.

I slam shut my bedroom door and stare at her. At first, I think she's a ghost, but she's still smiling up at me even after I rub my eyes. "My gods," I breathe. "Ino! You're alive?! What—"

"Let's skip the introductions," she says, stalking forward and placing her cool palms alongside my temples. She presses her forehead to mine.

"But I haven't seen you in months, and now—"

"Three days," Ino says with a small, sad smile. "You haven't seen me in three days." Then the room goes black, and I fall into a chasm of darkness. I enter that space in between spaces, where my mind and Ino's become one.

"Alright!" says a hallucination of Naruto, who slams a fist into his open palm. Seeing his familiar face and hearing his voice make tears cloud my vision, even though I know he can't be real. I must be dreaming.

"What are you both doing inside of my head?" I ask, my gaze traveling between the two blondes. A chair manifests out of the darkness just in time for me to fall into it.

"Well I never left," Naruto grouses, "but I guess you'd be confused and all, since Ino keeps screwing up your memory."

I turn my incredulous stare to Ino. "Hey," she says defensively, holding up her hands as a shield. "You asked me to. Though of course, you don't remember." She grins and utters a string of nonsense: "The most beautiful flower blossoms last: bloom, Death City, and live again."

At her keywords, my brow wrinkles in confusion—until an explosion goes off in my brain like summer fireworks.

Flash. Flash. Flash. Memories cascade through my mind:

"Will you be strong enough to accomplish your mission?" Shikamaru asks me, his forehead creased in concern. "You'll be on your own, maybe for a long time."

"Ino will visit me," I reply with false assurance, even as a cold lump of dread settles in the pit of my stomach. I know I won't remember Ino. I won't remember any of this. I clench my hands into fists. "I couldn't save either of them," I whisper into the silence. "I have to do something…"

"We'll be collecting intel regularly," Ino says, draping an arm around my shoulders. "And we'll be planting false information for him, too. In your mind. It takes a strong will and a strong mind to bear all that reorganization, Sakura-chan." Ino bites her lower lip.

I squeeze my eyes closed. "I know the risks." Going insane is a real possibility if my mind becomes unstable. And that's just the risk inherent in the mission—not to mention the danger of making myself indispensable to Sasuke and hiding my true purpose.

I feel a pang, and it must show because Ino squeezes my shoulders. "You don't have to do this," she whispers for my ears alone. "I know you still care for him…"

I clear my throat. She's talking about Sasuke-kun, of course. "It's because I love him that I need to do this," I reply, loudly enough for the whole room to hear. I catch Kakashi-sensei's gaze for a moment in time to see the hint of a sad smile under his mask. "I'm going to finish what Naruto started."

Flash. Flash. The memory shifts.

I am inside the darkness of my mind. But Ino is here too, and Naruto.

"This changes everything," Ino breathes. "I can't believe it—you have Naruto's chakra." And then: "Sorry we tried to reanimate you from the dead, Naruto."

Naruto winces. "It was an okay idea. Except that Sasuke just unsealed the jutsu with one wink." He shrugs.

I laugh uncontrollably until I am bent over and wheezing for breath. "I can't believe you're here," I say through my tears—though whether they are tears of joy or sorrow, I cannot say.

I continue to stare at them, tears coursing down my cheeks. "You're both here," I whisper again, quivering with realization. I'm finally going crazy, and I don't care.

"I'm here for real," Naruto says, giving me a thumbs up. "Believe it. We're going to beat some sense into Sasuke!"

Flicker. Flicker.

Ino frowns. "Sasuke is catching on to us. He's starting to see the partition in your brain."

"What does that mean for our plan?" Naruto asks, chewing on a fingernail.

"We'll have to strike early," Ino answers, winking at Naruto. "In one week."

Naruto giggles. I clear my throat and say, "Don't you mean in three days?"

I look between their stricken faces.

Ino shakes her head. "There's only so many times I can erase your memories," she says. "Forgive me, Sakura-chan, but I'll need to wipe this one out completely."

Everything fades to black.

Flicker. Flicker. Flicker.

All my memories come flooding back. They settle into place like debris thrown by a tornado and scattered over long distances. Everything is still there, I think, but the thoughts and recollections are disconnected, jumbled.

I try to make sense of what is happening, but it hurts; I sink onto the bed, eyes wide. Ino holds me up by my arms, tears clouding her blue eyes; my vision blurs with tears in response. It's like all this time, I had been dreaming, sleepwalking through someone else's life. But I'm truly awake now. I stare up at Ino who has been with me, silently, invisibly, this whole time.

"Welcome back," Ino whispers.

 _Welcome back,_ says Naruto's voice in my mind, and this time, I know he is real.

"Naruto will help you make a shadow clone," Ino says. "We'll modify your clone's memory, but you are here to stay."

"I missed you so much," I blurt out, holding Ino close and sobbing onto her shoulder.

"I've been with you this whole time," she says hoarsely, stroking my hair.

 _And me too,_ says the voice in my head that isn't mine.

#

I take hold of as much Bijuu chakra as I can, but even with Naruto's help, it's almost too much to bear. Though I don't mind if this kills me; I'm not afraid to die.

Naruto says, _Don't think like that, Sakura-chan._ His voice makes me smile. Then I start, sensing the familiar feel of cold, murderous chakra coming into range. Amazing how fine-tuned Naruto's sensory abilities are, I think, as I launch myself out of the subterranean prison where Sasuke had hidden the tailed beasts.

The beasts stream after me and scatter, hiding themselves in the craggy landscape. Even with Naruto's help, I can't become a true jinchuriki; I can only borrow some of their chakra. And besides, I think—though the thought might not be solely my own—after so long, the tailed beasts can finally be free.

"To think," comes Sasuke's bitter voice, the words quiet and hissing like a sword being unsheathed, "that you could actually betray me like this."

The dust settles, revealing first his silhouette, then his features drawn back in a snarl.

"You knew I was a spy the whole time," I say, readying my chakra. Gods, but there is so much power coursing through my system, it makes me dizzy.

"I did. But you didn't." He laughs, the chill sound making me shiver. "I knew you were working with the Underground, but I never thought you were sabotaging my own chakra network. To hide that from my eyes… You truly are a skilled medical nin." He shakes his head. "I will have no regrets when I kill you."

Naruto takes control of my body; my mouth opens, and it is his words that spill out: "Sasuke! You bastard! Can't you see what you've done to Sakura-chan? What you've done to everyone?"

Many miles away, explosions rock Republic City. I can feel them reverberating in the earth under my feet. Bright flashes of light dye the night sky a bloody red. It looks like Shikamaru has begun his assault on the city; now it's time for me to do my part.

But I have something I need to say first. I push Naruto aside and retake control of my body. "I never betrayed you, Sasuke-kun," I say, happy with how steady my voice sounds despite the tears overflowing my eyes. "In my heart, I will always love you."

His lips peel back in a sneer as malevolent chakra obscures his body. The energy tornados around him and crackles with lightning, encasing him in the purple glow of his burgeoning Susanoo; he towers over the battlefield like a god of death.

I release control of my mind and limbs and let Naruto take over, feeling the warm glow of his chakra encasing my body as I fall, deeper and deeper into the void of memories. Dimly, I feel Naruto and Sasuke exchanging blows, the earth shuddering under the force of their assault.

Flicker. Memories come, but they are not mine.

I come home later than I should, through the dark streets of the Uchiha district. The full moon casts flickering shadows, making the ominous silence feel alive with watching eyes as I sprint, my footfalls echoing hollowly on the cobblestones. With mounting panic, I yank open the front door of my house, breath coming in short, painful gasps.

Blood pools on the wooden floor. The moonlight filters in through the parted window, illuminating two lifeless bodies.

"Mom?" My voice breaks. "Dad?"

Then the red glow of Itachi's eyes capture mine, and the world is cast in darkness.

Flicker. Flicker.

I'm a monster. So that's why—why everyone avoids me like I'm contagious. Maybe my parents died of shame after they had me. Maybe I should die, too. There's a monster inside of me. So that makes me a monster as well.

And he speaks to me, at night when I'm dreaming, and he tells me to kill them. To kill them all before they kill me. I cry out in the darkness, and no one is there, nothing except the blackness pressing in on me.

Maybe I'm going crazy…

Flicker. Flicker. Flicker.

Memories merge and swirl, my own mixing with Naruto and Sasuke's until I cannot say where I end and they begin.

 _Hang in there, Sakura-chan,_ Naruto calls, and I follow the sound of his voice up out of the depths. Like a diver surfacing out of the deep sea and breathing in great gulping breaths, I wake out of the dream.

This is my fight too, I think, and I can feel my body again as Naruto shares control. As Naruto recedes, I reel back my fist, and with a roar, I surge forward. Sasuke's Susanoo only half-covers his body now; Naruto had fought well. My fist smashes into the last of Sasuke's protection, and what is left of the purple chakra cracks, fractures, then crumbles away from him like broken eggshell.

Sasuke plummets through the air. I pursue him, and for the first time in so long, I no longer feel alone, or useless, or powerless.

Sasuke's katana whips through the air, but I duck and land a kick to his side. He recovers quickly, his Chidori surging along the length of his blade. I dive in for another attack. The katana grazes my shoulder and pain half-blinds me, but I don't retreat. I score a punch on his torso, the same spot I had kicked moments ago.

Sasuke cries out and pulls back, but I won't let him recover. I can feel Naruto within me, his power surging and crackling around me. _We always did have good teamwork,_ comes the thought, and I don't know if it is mine, or his, or simply— ours.

I rain blows down on Sasuke. He defends against most but not all. Then he vanishes in a flash.

Instinctively, I duck as chunks of earth whiz around my head. As I dodge, my hands flutter into a familiar sign.

"Shadow clone no jutsu," I say, grinning. An army of clones burst into being. I gasp—looking at my clones is like gazing into hundreds of mirrors. I can see that the black dye has burned out of my clones' hair, now streaming in wild pink whorls in the wind. Many have whiskers on their cheeks. Some clones have green eyes, some blue; a few even have one green eye and one blue. But all are bathed in brilliant golden chakra.

Then we dive in to attack, an army of me. The earth vomits up more rocks, dispelling clone after clone—but with each clone that falls, I gain more and more intel.

Suddenly, I know where Sasuke is cornered, and a plan bursts into my mind—no telling who thinks it, if it's a clone, or Naruto, or I. The idea just is, fully formed and deadly.

All at once, my clones form bijou bombs until the sky if full of swirling lava, spiraling water, vortexes of fire, ice, earth, wind, and lightning, all the elements converging on their target.

Even from a distance, I can feel Sasuke's chakra network destabilizing in response. Exposure to so much Bijou chakra will render him helpless to repel my attack. I know, because I'm the one who cracked his inner reservoir of tailed beast chakra, who weakened his ocular network and punctured his meridians, slowly, cautiously, all the while making it look like I was healing him. I have expertly sabotaged him for this exact moment; I just didn't know it at the time.

That was the genius of Shikamaru's plan: not letting me know what I was doing— thus remaining undiscoverable, undercover even to myself.

Sasuke throws his head back and howls, a wounded animal that knows it cannot escape the predator. As the bombs fall on him, so do my tears, raining down until my face is slick. The explosions heave the ground below, coughing up earth and ash.

 _I'm sorry, Sakura-chan._

 _Don't be,_ I think to Naruto. I hiccup. As the explosions fade, and smoke and ash swirl in the air, I float back down to earth, staggering as I hit the ground. I hold onto the lip of the smoking crater, my heart shuddering in a mix of exaltation and terror.

With a leap, I run down the side of the cavernous hole, the smoldering rock scorching the soles of my feet through my shoes. I let my clones all vanish in an instant; the rush of incoming chakra keeps me from faltering.

I kneel beside the charred ruin that was once the man I loved. Blackened skin clings to bone; a charred, skull-like face rolls to the side, and blistered lips part to groan.

"…Sakura?" His voice is an unearthly croak.

I reach out to him, and with aching tenderness, I cradle his head in my lap. The stench of burning flesh fills my nostrils. "Sasuke-kun," I whisper, as if in prayer. I can hardly see past my tears.

"I never…" He coughs, bright red blood speckling his blackened skin. "I never hated you."

Gently, I smooth back what is left of his singed hair. All I ever wanted was to hold him. But not like this. "I know, Sasuke-kun," I rasp, my voice hoarse.

He sighs. Blood trickles from his closed eyes like tears. "Thank you." The words are so faint, I almost can't hear them.

"I'm sorry," I gasp, my shoulders shaking. But he's already gone. His body stiffens, shudders, and then lies still. A sob spasms through me. I wipe the blood from his cheek, leaving red smears on his face.

I can feel Naruto's chakra draining out of me, running like water down my arms and out of my hands. Without the extra chakra to sustain me, I collapse next to Sasuke's body. I try to rise again, but I cannot even twitch a finger. My eyes slide shut.

 _We'll wait for you, Sakura-chan,_ Naruto says, his voice seeming to come from all directions. _On the other side._

 _I'm sorry, Sakura._ It's Sasuke's voice. My eyes flutter open to see his unmoving body; his lips are still. _I'm sorry for everything,_ he says, his words sighing on the wind.

I can only weep in reply. I want to tell him I love him—that I love them both and that I'm sorry I wasn't stronger, that I couldn't save them, but I'm dizzy with chakra loss and blood loss, and my sobs are stealing all the breath from my lungs.

 _We know, Sakura-chan_ , Naruto says, his voice faint and fading. _We know._

I fall back into darkness, and not even dreams can pierce my unconsciousness.

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 _One more chapter to go! Thank you for reading, and please, review—they prod me into faster updates:)_


	5. Chapter Five: After Death

Final chapter is here, woo woo! I know this hasn't been the most popular story, but thanks for sticking with it.

Special thanks to iBloo, maxridelover, ItachiTheBAMF, penmightierthanthekunai, toffeemilk, trelawney0323, MidniteCurse4Eternity, and of course, the mighty fanofthisfiction! You are the best. Thanks for all of your encouragement.

Here it is, the very last installment:

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 _Chapter Five: After Death_

Laughter. I can hear it, though it is faint like distant music or a half-forgotten dream.

I try to open my eyes, but they won't budge. Then the pain hits me like a wall, unbearable levels. I groan. Every inch of my body feels like it has been pummeled, battered, and burned.

A warm hand grips mine. "Sakura-chan?"

"Sensei?" My voice is a croak I barely recognize as my own.

Kakashi holds my hand for a moment, then rubs it between his hands as if to warm me. It makes me smile, knowing that he is there. Then the tears come, the weak, wounded tears of an injured animal.

"Hush," he murmurs, smoothing down my hair.

I finally manage to crack my eyes open. My vision is blurry at first, but it clears after a few furious blinks. Kakashi looks older than I remember; his face is haggard, his eyes, hollow.

"What happened?" I ask. His eyes dart away from mine. I squeeze his hand, though the effort sends spikes of pain shooting up my arm. "Tell me."

He doesn't speak for a long time, still avoiding my gaze.

I hear laughter chiming down the hall again, and muffled shouts: The war is over! We're free!

I don't know if I imagine it or not, but I think I hear, Death City is finally dead!

But Kakashi still does not say anything.

Finally, when I am about to demand the truth, he speaks in his slow, haltering way, his eyes trained on the floor but not seeing anything.

Sasuke is dead. The White Circle Guards have been either destroyed or taken captive.

"Shikamaru hopes they can be deprogrammed," Kakashi says. A faint smile creases his tired eyes. "Shikamaru is Hokage now."

I sag against my pillows and exhale sharply. There are many things I would like to ask, but I can't. I don't have the strength. I drift back into that dark, dreamless sleep.

#

Epilogue: Ten Years Later

"Kakashi," I say, unable to stop myself from whining, "you have to eat!"

Kakashi sits beside me on the porch, poking at his breakfast. I sigh in exasperation and lean forward in my rocking chair, cradling my own bowl of rice. I poke him with my chopsticks until he takes a bite.

"Honestly," I say around a mouthful, "what would you do if I wasn't here to take care of you?"

"Starve," he answers cheerfully. At my glare, he takes another bite.

I shake my head, then dig into my food. We sit in companionable silence for a long while, the sound of the chirping birds mingling with the rush of the nearby creek.

I moved in with Kakashi years ago when his health began to fail. He would wake in the middle of the night and scream so loudly, he would wake up the neighbors.

He had refused to eat and after a while refused even to leave his bed. There were many Shinobi like that who had been rescued from Reform, and there wasn't anything you could do for them. But Kakashi was my sensei.

So I built a cabin on the outskirts of Konoha, deep in the woods by a babbling creek. And I took care of him.

Though if I'm honest, he took care of me just as much as I cared for him. Like two war horses too old for battle and put out to pasture, I think with a grin.

Other voices whisper in my head, offering their opinions, but I push them away. It's better not to respond.

The peace of the forest is broken by the excited chatter of children, and my smile widens. "Sounds like Hiroko and Airi are here," I say, and sure enough, the two girls crest over the rise in the path and sprint to the porch.

They look so much like a perfect mixture of Sasuke and Hinata that it hurts my heart to see them every time. It is an old pain now, though; I never let it show.

I smile at the identical twins as they climb over the railing and clamber over to Kakashi. Their matching sweet smiles and shining black eyes are half-hidden under their raven locks as they chatter, which makes me laugh.

It is hard, sometimes, to say who I miss more: Naruto. Sasuke. Or poor Hinata.

Hinata had died in childbirth, living only long enough to name the children. Hanabi has raised the twins as her own, and there could not be a more devoted mother than she, but it is a hard life for her and the twins.

The Hyuga clan members treat the children as well as they can, but without love. And who can blame them, after what Sasuke put everyone through? To say nothing about the rest of the village…

Few people can look at these children without hate for their father—but those people are sitting right here on this porch. We never hated Sasuke. I know I never could.

Still, every time I see the twins, my eyes sting with tears I refuse to shed. I wish that they were my children.

"Has Hanabi-sama sent you?" I ask, keeping my voice steady.

"We want to train with Uncle Kakashi!" they squeal instead of an answer as they tug on Kakashi's sleeves.

"Oh, is that so?" I ask, pulling their hands into my own. I glance at Kakashi: he had awoken with nightmares again this morning. "But you know what, precious ones? I'd like to train with you today. If you don't mind, Kakashi-sensei?"

Before he can answer, the children shout with glee and whisk me away to the mini training grounds I built for them out behind the house. Soon, kunai are whizzing through the air, hitting the target with thuds and thunks.

"Bullseye!" the twins holler in unison. They jump in delight and pull on my arms.

I grin and nod for them to continue, looking on in quiet contentment.

I'm happy to be Aunty Sakura. It's a strange family I have with Kakashi and these two orphaned children, yet I love them with all of my heart.

When the sun climbs to its zenith, I insist on a break and pass around a bamboo flask filled with water.

"Aunty Sakura?" Hiroko asks. "Do we have to go to the academy?" She wrinkles her nose. "Can't we just train here with you and Uncle Kakashi?"

"Yeah," says Airi, nodding emphatically before sipping the water. "We learn so much with you! Just last week, we could only hit the bullseye one time in ten, but now we're doing it more than half of the time!"

"Speak for yourself," Airi huffs. "I hit it almost every time."

"Do not."

"Do too!"

I break in quickly before this can dissolve into a fist fight. "I'm flattered that you want me to be your teacher, but I'm so old!" I laugh away their protests. "Anyway, don't you want to learn with other children your age?" As soon as I ask the question, I regret it.

Airi pouts. "I don't want to go to the academy either."

Hiroko squishes her face with her hands and sticks out her tongue. "All the village kids do is throw rocks at us and tease. I hate them."

I don't know what to say. I take the water from Airi and drink for a long while to stall for time.

Kakashi has admonished me over and over again to tell the children the story of their father—before someone else does. But I don't have the heart.

I look at their innocent faces and think, this is how Naruto must have felt.

It is, he murmurs.

What should I do? I ask, my eyes clouding with tears.

Tell them.

I can't!

You're going to have to, Sakura-chan.

"Aunty?" Hiroko asks with concern. "You're mumbling to yourself again."

That night I can't sleep because I'm thinking about the children. My children. I can't help but claim them as my own.

Write it down, says one.

After a pause, the other says: They need to know about me.

Sasuke-kun… I sigh. I miss him so much, it makes my bones ache.

They need to know about me too! Naruto chimes in.

I smile a slow, sorrowful smile. Lighting a lantern, I unroll a blank scroll, but I am daunted by the white page. Where should I start?

I dip my pen into the inkwell and begin. I'm staring out the window at the steel-gray sky, waiting for the rain that has been threatening for days…

I have so much love in me. I let it flow out of the pen like healing chakra so I can tell my story. Our story.

END

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 _Thanks for reading. Your feedback helps me to be a better writer. Let me know what you liked—and what you thought could have been better—with a review. Thank you!_


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